


Introspective

by imaginentertain



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: M/M, hospital fic, mention of injuries and death, nothing descriptive or specific, references to burns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-16
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2019-06-28 10:52:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15705777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imaginentertain/pseuds/imaginentertain
Summary: Alex Mason was pretty sure that he wasn't going to be the love of Aaron Dingle's life.  (Being dumped at the worst time in your professional life because he's still hung up on his ex and wants him back was a pretty big clue on that front.)  He gets to see first hand just how little chance he stood.-or-As requested, "somebody write me a fic about aaron in situ at robert’s hospital bedside following lucky’s wedding day massacre and bumping in to alex"





	Introspective

**Author's Note:**

  * For [toxica939](https://archiveofourown.org/users/toxica939/gifts).



> For Vic. Who deserves all the love and cuddles.

 

Aaron knew people had died.  He felt bad for not caring more than he was but right now his caring capacity was somewhat full.  Liv and Seb were OK, his mum and Paddy were OK.  Vic was recovering well.  That was the extent to which he could afford his compassion to extend and seeing as they all needed little more than a passing thought he was redirecting all of his energies in one direction.

 

The hand in his was pale, slightly warm, terrifyingly still.  He looked like he was already gone, so much worse than before.  Last Christmas he'd been a mess but still very much alive (even when they were shocking him).  After the gas leak he'd been conscious soon after the ambulance arrived and oxygen was soon flooding his system.

 

Now it looked like third time was the curse.

 

It had been Robert who'd tried to reason with Lachlan.  Robert who'd talked him down enough for people to get out.  Robert who'd tried to be the better person, even after everything.  But Lachlan had a plan and even though people had gotten out of the barn the explosion was still big enough that burns and shrapnel and smoke inhalation had landed half the party in Hotten General.

 

They'd not even gotten to the rings and it felt weird to be holding that hand with its bare finger.  He had them with him, their old rings and the new ones Robert had insisted on.

 

"New rings for a new start," he'd said as he'd handed over his card to pay the expense Aaron didn't think they needed.

 

Any thought of putting one on, trying to alleviate the hated unfamiliarity of Robert's left hand, was dismissed due to the bandages and burns scattered across the skin.  He'd been so brave, so sure, even when the first explosion hit and the barn entrance collapsed.  Aaron had pleaded with him to run, to escape with him as Cain and Marlon and Paddy and everyone else pulled at the old boards at the far end to make an exit.

 

The second explosion where Vic had been, throwing her to the ground while she curled protectively around her nephew.  Matty had helped her up, taken the screaming baby, and gotten them both to safety.  Lachlan had tried to move, Robert had seen something Aaron hadn't, and in a moment he'd stepped away from Aaron and their plans and their future and the safety of tomorrow and moved towards the man who was literally blowing up their world.

 

He hadn't known then, it was only after Robert was out of surgery and settled in recovery had Aaron even allowed people close enough to talk to him.  Robert had seen what others hadn't: the wires under Lachlan's jacket.  The last explosive.  Simple, short range, but effective.  He'd moved towards Belle, Robert had gotten in Lachlan's way.  Maybe Lachlan wanted to take Belle with him, his version of Romeo and Juliet.  Maybe he wanted to use her somehow to get away.  It wasn't as if they could ask him now.

 

It wasn't as if Aaron particularly cared right now.

 

He heard the door open behind him and he groaned inwardly.  He didn't have the strength for another fight about why going home was a good option, how he needed to keep his strength up for Robert, that holding his hand all night wasn’t going to—

 

"I thought it was him."

 

Aaron turned around at that, pressing his lips into a hard line as he saw Alex standing behind him.

 

"If you want me to go, I can get someone else to do his obs," Alex offered.

 

Aaron gave a non-committal shrug and turned back to Robert.  His thumb ran over the small patch of undamaged skin he'd found just so Robert would know, he would feel Aaron there.

 

Alex busied himself with the machines, making notes on the chart in all the right places.  He put the file back before putting his hands awkwardly into his trouser pockets.  "You OK?"

 

"What?" Aaron asked.

 

"Are you OK?  I mean, when they call in everyone you know something big's happened."

 

"Lachlan tried to blow up my wedding, you could say it's big," Aaron snapped.  Then he saw Alex's face and he sighed.  "Sorry.  Not your fault."

 

"It was a pretty stupid question."

 

"I'm guessing things worked out?  With the… suspension thing?"

 

"Yeah, cleared of any wrongdoing."

 

"I'm glad."

 

"It was a tough time but I made it—"

 

"Alex—"

 

"No, I'm not getting at you.  I'm really not.  Made me stand on my own two feet and see that you and me were never going to work.  Not in the long term."

 

"Still."

 

There was a heavy silence before Alex ventured, "So… your wedding, huh?"

 

"Yeah.  We wanted to do the legal thing.  Last time the police turned up, this time it's a maniac with some homemade bombs.  Maybe third time will be the charm."

 

"I hope so."

 

"Really?"

 

"You want to be with him.  You…"  Alex swallowed a large breath.  "You love him.  That's what matters."

 

Aaron nodded, keeping his focus on Robert.

 

"He'll be fine," Alex said.  "He's stubborn."

 

"Are you just saying that?" Aaron asked.  "Or is that your expert opinion?"

 

Alex said nothing and left.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liv pulled the door to behind her, refusing to turn around and see anything she couldn't unsee.  She'd take coming down of a morning to find Robert totally not with his hand down Aaron's sleep shorts over watching her brother change.  If he wasn't going to leave Robert's side then at least she could get him into some fresh clothes.

 

Looking around for anything to distract her she froze at the sight of Alex walking up the corridor.

 

"Awkward," she muttered to herself.

 

"Liv.  Hi," Alex said, coming to a stop just by the door.

 

"Hi."

 

"You standing guard or something?"

 

"Yeah.  Aaron's changing.  He won't leave Robert's side."

 

"That looks nasty," Alex said, quickly changing the subject and gesturing to the sutured cut on Liv's forehead.

 

"Another one for the collection," she said, pointing to the faint scar from the last head injury.

 

"You've been in the wars."

 

"Yesterday wasn't exactly the perfect day they planned."

 

"I didn't mean…  Never mind," he said.  "I need to check on Robert."

 

"Give Aaron a minute, yeah?"

 

"I'll be quick, I won't disturb—"

 

"I mean to change, idiot," Liv said, her smile belaying any hint of annoyance.  Then the smile fell.  "I'm sorry.  For what it's worth."

 

"For what?"

 

"For how things ended with you and Aaron.  Thought you two might actually be OK."

 

"OK isn't good enough though, Liv."

 

"Still sorry."

 

"He's happy, yeah?  I mean, they were supposed to get married yesterday so it must be… going well?"

 

"He's really happy," Liv said quietly.  "They both are."

 

"Good," Alex said, pushing the word out and hoping it sounded better than he felt.  "Look, I'll…  I'll come back."

 

"Probably best."

 

 

 

 

 

 

At least Aaron was sleeping, hand still in Robert's.  Alex made his notes as quickly as he could, writing out notes for the nurse to adjust some of Robert's meds.  As he turned he was startled to see Vic standing there, Seb on her hip.

 

"Oh.  Hey," she said, shifting Seb who had noticed his dads.  "Is this a good time?"

 

"Yeah, it's fine.  Supposed to be limited to two but I suppose two and a half isn't bending the rules too much."

 

Seb was starting to whinge, his hands reaching out towards the bed.

 

"Misses his dad," Alex said.

 

"Yeah," Vic said.  She walked over to the bed and nudged Aaron with her hip.  Aaron was startled awake and looked from her to Robert in panic.  "Sorry."

 

"No.  It's fine."  Aaron rubbed a hand down his face and smiled up at Seb.  "Hey, kiddo."  Seb's hands reached out for Aaron and he took him, settling Seb on his lap and holding his arms to stop him pulling at the line in Robert's hand.  "No, daddy's sleeping right now.  He's got to sleep lots so that he can get better."

 

Seb settled against Aaron's chest, the pair of them clearly at home with each other.

 

Alex made a quiet exit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert woke up eight days after the wedding that wasn't.  It was a slow process to wake him up, they needed to make sure that his system had recovered enough to deal with movement.  Alex had long excused himself from active involvement in Robert's care but he couldn't miss Aaron bolting from the room, ignoring the shouts of Chas and Liv.

 

He didn't chase him down, didn't set out to follow him, he wasn't going to be that weird ex.  But it didn't count if you happened to find him sitting on a stair while you were heading for your break, right?

 

"Extensive burns, more surgery, rehab," Aaron said.  "They don't know whether he will regain all of his feeling in his arm.  And I'm just so… _mad_ at him."

 

"Mad?"

 

"He stayed.  He stayed when I begged him to leave.  He was so focused on getting everyone out and all I keep thinking is what happened to the arrogant, selfish man I met?"  Aaron looked away.  "Sorry.  Shouldn't be dumping this on you of all people."

 

"It's OK," Alex said.  "Look, it's going to be tough but there's all the right support available to you both.  And Robert?  He's… stubborn.  He doesn't give up.  Neither do you."

 

"I don't know what I'm going to do.  I can't lose him but I don't know how I'm going to deal with all of this.  They're talking about all these things that I don't have the first idea about.  What if I get it wrong?  I go into these things with good intentions, I keep thinking that I can do things and…  and I can't.  I can't mess this up.  He needs me and I don't know how to be there for him."

 

"Aaron, you literally never left his side in a week!"

 

"That was different."

 

"Not from where I'm standing.  Aaron, you are the most… _stubborn_ person I have ever met but when you want something you go for it, no matter what.  And trust me, I know that first hand."

 

"Alex—"

 

"You have had your whole family running around you all week and your sole focus has been on Robert.  You talk to him, all the time, you're so careful around the burns and the dressing.  You talk to his son about him and you keep him calm when I see kids every day freaking out because their parent is in a hospital bed with all these tubes and wires.  You keep him calm.

 

"And of all the things I thought you were, a coward isn't one of them."

 

Alex walked past him, climbing the steps towards his break and his prayers that he wasn't about to be reported for being ridiculously unprofessional.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Hey, you know Aaron Dingle, right?"

 

Alex looked up from his paperwork.  "What?"  His heart was racing with what he was about to be accused of.

 

"Aaron Dingle.  You know him."

 

"I used to.  Why?"

 

"I was talking to them, going through his partner's rehab but he couldn't handle it.  Happens a lot, but then guy did a complete turnaround on his attitude.  Said something about you talking sense into him?"

 

"Not sure I did anything."

 

"I see it all the time, people freaking out about what it means for their lives.  Suddenly they're having to really take care of someone and it means a lot, to be that selfless.  You can love someone a lot and struggle.  Not all of them come around as quickly as he did."

 

Alex shrugged with one shoulder and went back to his paperwork.  "He loves him."

 

"No kidding," the other doctor laughed.  "They're pretty much attached to each other.  Kinda gives you hope that love isn't some myth made up by Disney and the media, right?"

 

"Yeah."

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Lots to take in," Aaron said, sitting on the edge of the bed, his hand carefully holding Robert's.  "Think we might have to put off the honeymoon."

 

"Sorry," Robert said, his voice still hoarse.

 

"Hey, we might not have gotten that far but I'm pretty sure that sticking around during 'sickness' is part of the deal."

 

"I couldn't leave—"

 

"It's OK," Aaron said softly.  "It's who you are.  You got so many people out, you saved our family.  You took care of them and now it's our turn to take care of you, OK?"

 

"OK," Robert smiled softly.

 

Aaron leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.

 

 

 

 

 

Outside the room Alex took one final look before turning and walking away.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm procrastinating the last weeks of my summer away on Tumblr. Come say hi - I'm beautifulhigh
> 
> (I'm also, apparently, a poet.)


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